Contents

History

Five millennia ago, Algrim - one of the most loyal of Svartalfheim's Dark Elf army - fought alongside Dark Elf leader Malekith during a Convergence, an alignment of the Nine Realms. After failing in his attempt to use the Aether to plunge the universe in darkness, Malekith sacrificed much of the Dark Elf race in a last-ditch effort to destroy the Asgardian army during his escape attempt. Believing the Elves obliterated, Asgardian monarch Bor ordered the Aether hidden. Malekith took Algrim along with the few remaining Dark Elves into deep space, where they remained in suspended animation.

In modern times, the Aether was accidentally rediscovered and absorbed into the body of Jane Foster. Reawakened by the Aether's activity, Malekith vowed to reclaim it. For Malekith's plans to prevail, Algrim needed to infiltrate Asgard, where Thor had taken Foster, and disable their defenses so Malekith could capture her. To assist him, Malekith granted Algrim the power to become the last of the Kursed: Dark Elf warriors transformed and empowered by pure darkness. Algrim affirmed his loyalty without hesitation, allowing Malekith to cut open his abdomen and hide a Kurse stone inside.

Disguised among a group of marauders captured by Asgardian forces, Algrim was imprisoned in the Asgardian palace dungeons. Algrim retrieved the hidden stone from his body and activated its power, becoming the monstrous Kurse. Now immensely powerful, Kurse broke free of his cell and led an army of prisoners in revolt while the forces of Malekith's Dark Elf army began their siege on the Asgardian palace. When Kurse destroyed the palace's shield generator, Malekith's ship crashed through the palace walls. Finding Malekith mid-battle with the Asgardian queen Frigga, Kurse murdered Frigga with her own sword when she refused to reveal Foster's location. Thor arrived as his mother was killed, but Kurse escaped with Malekith.

Later, Thor and Loki took Foster to Svartalfheim as bait, but Thor's plan to destroy the Aether while Malekith drew it out of Foster failed. After absorbing the Aether's power, Malekith boarded his ship as Kurse battled Thor. During the struggle, Loki impaled Kurse with his sword, which failed to slow the monster. Instead, Kurse pulled Loki against his own body, stabbing the trickster. Despite his injury, Loki activated one of Kurse's black-hole grenades, killing him.

Powers and Abilities

Strength level

Kurse was strong enough to easily withstand blows from Thor's hammer Mjolnir; he pummeled Thor into submission during their fight on Svartalfheim.